The Palatka daily news. (Palatka, Fla.) 1884-1888, 1887-03-17
NRS. NORGAN'S FURNITURE.
Dealers Take Their Pick and l.sdi~. Lack
"a J~aIou~iy.
n

oa J~alou>ty.
New York Herald.
The dealers got in their work on the
furniture in the ho,;Se of the lat. Mrs.
Mary Jane Morgan when il was ,oI.i at
auction yesterday.
They got bargains.
The public bought souvenir and paid
corresIondinglv.
So the whole result made a grand total
that should satisfy the administrators
just how much it .foots up will not l..
known until to-day. \ careful estimate
places the sum well up toward xiO0.6
The ladies have raveI over that furni-
ture and bric-a-brac. ami doubtless
thought envious thoughts. To get into
tine houss, at No. East Tw-nty-siNth
street, il was necessary to procure a little
white ticket at the American Art Asso-
citation rooms on Twenty third street.
and then the applicant would not get il
unless he was known or had the gold
tainted air of a bric-a-brac buyer about
him. Ii was simply "a precautionary
measure, for No. Fast Twenty-siNth
street. big hous@ as IL II. Will only hold a
certain number. and il WAS obviously
just that the number slipuld. as far ~
possible. be made up of buyers. Hum
dreds were refused admission. The sI,-
plicants Were for the most part ladies'.
In consequence you could not have
thrown a stick across Madison Square
yesterday afternoon without hitting a
mad woman.
on THEIR PEAcHBIOw CHEEks.
There We're lots of them who did man
age tn get in ON the strength Of their
pretty peachbiow cheeks, and they had
no more idea of buying anything than
than they had Of paying their car fare il
the conductor happened la overlook
them.
The house was crowded. The air was
sitting, and when "a fat woman was not
standing on ones feet a sharp elbowed
man was prOdding one i'm the ribs. Many
Of the ladies. fragile and tight laced.
with their heavy winter wraps on. stood
up through il all for six mortal hours.
prompted by no other motive than GU
riosity- Had King solomon been pres
ent he would have been convinced that
a woman's curiosity is infinitely strong.
er than "A lion.
The crowd surged with the auctioneeT
from one elegant room to another and
up and down the oak panelled halls
and staircases.
The auctione-r looked like a theologi-
cal student. He wore spectacies and u
straight brown heard. Twice only did
idIb>f- lito sitiie
SO afterwari that il was Painful. His
name was Mr.. Thomas T.. Kirby.
CHEAP AND DEAR.
The agony bsgan i'm the dining room.
The tableware of silver. glass and china
was sold first. and then the furniture. Ii
went sg,asmodically. Some things al
ridicuIotisly low figures and Others al
exorbitantly high ones. 4 clos. observer
could very readily see through the mys-
terry. There was a cOterie of keen eyed
men with silk hats who kept within
range Of the auctiOneers eve. They
looked business. talked business, and on
the whole did a very good business.
There's no use bidding against those
dealers. said a lady a. she shrugged her
sealskin shoulders.
At high noon the auctioneer nibbled a
cracker and opened one Of the events Of
the sale-the bidding on the cameo flint
glass service. Ii Is the only one in exi>-
tence.
lit was made for Mrs. Morgan by
Webb & Co, i'm London. from designs by
Tiffany * Co.." announced the auction
eer. land cost xls.OO.'
People gasIei and nobody bid.
A SACRIFICE.
Then the dealers. who seemed hardened
tO such things. stepped in and carried il
away for 81 81. The whole 2;.sS pieces.
The beautiful drawing room suit went
for xSD. There was rosewood cabinet
that would be a JOY forever. and that
glittered with AN inlaid mother Of pearl
top that brought $3.50 la a private pur-
chaser. A rosewood centre table brought
$3OO.
A second hand piano can h. bought n
low as 80. but one went i'm that sale yes
terday for fsgh and the buyer didn't
kick much.
Over the balustrade on the second
fiOOr hung a rug that reached to the floor
below. Those WHO knew said il was
very beautiful. Some one paid $500
for il.
The auctioneer moved from one room
to another. not emitting in one room a
carpet covered shoe box that brought ~
with no shoes i'm il.
FIFTY CENTS FOR SHADES.
The cheapest thing on the list WAS q
pair OF window shades in - the second
foOr back" as they say in boarding
houses, that went with embroidered
ends. aad all for fifty cents.
Up in the art gallery were two screens.
One cost *2.OO0. Ii was Of the Loui
XVI style. with panels Of rare B.auvaise
tapestry. The other could be bought in
japanese store for probably 800.
The first Was sold to dealer for $500.
The second to a private buyer for tiO5.
Really" said lady. - can't afford
to pay such awful prices for souvenirs Of
Mrs. Morgan"
THE ONLY ONE.
This carpet under your feet" said
the auctioneer. ''cost q. .O0O. You can't
get another like il, il you search the
world over, for any money"
1t brought el,O25.
And so the sale went on, with the auc-
tioneer's rapid chatter constantly sound
ing above the hum Of conversation. He
was thoroughbred for quick work, and
he pushed the sale right through to the
bitter end and wound il up in the kitchen.
And now all that perfectly lovely"
furniture and bric-a-brac il no longer
going-but gone.